Hope - Fencing-Master - 1710

The Magic of the Sword: Between Art and War
This rare specimen of The Compleat Fencing-Master by Sir William Hope represents a fundamental milestone in the evolution of English fencing in the early 18th century. The work is enriched by splendid folded plates, a testament to a time when fencing was not merely a military discipline but also a form of art, elegance, and philosophy of gesture. Particularly valuable is the presence of finely hand-watercolored illustrations, which confer an aura of uniqueness and visual allure to the volume, transforming it from a technical manual into a true work of art.
Market value
Copies of the first editions of William Hope's fencing works are very rare on the antiquarian market. Complete copies with the plates intact fetch prices ranging from €5,500 to €7,000, with higher peaks for specimens with illustrious provenance or hand-watercolored illustrations, as in this example.

Physical description and condition
Bound in full leather, rebound in a later period with the original spine preserved and restored, few signs of wear, small restorations on L4 and N1 that partially touch the text. The volume is accompanied by 12 large folded engraved plates, here in extraordinary condition, some finely hand-watercolored. Pp. [4]; 18 leaves. 197; 13 leaves [4]; 12 plates (f.t.).

Full title and author
The Complete Fencing-Master: In which is fully described the whole Guards, Parades, and Lessons belonging to the Small-Sword; as also the best Rules for playing against either Artists or Ignorants, with Blunts or Sharps. Together with Directions how to behave in Single Combat on the Ground. Also the Opinion of the most eminent Authors, ancient and modern, concerning the Use of Arms.
London, Printed for W. Taylor, 1710.
Hope (Sir William).

Context and Significance
This work represents one of the most important syntheses of the British school of fencing, heir to French and Italian traditions, yet already characterized by its own stylistic autonomy. Sir William Hope, a Scottish officer, conveys in the volume direct experience gained as much on the military field as in the academies. The illustrations, here exceptionally watercolored, clearly depict the positions and fundamental blows of the short sword, but they also acquire symbolic value, since they visually translate the chivalric code of composure and the art of dueling. The work, initially published as The Scots Fencing-Master in 1687, went through subsequent editions (1691, 1692, 1697) before reaching this 1710 edition, not recorded in the USTC.

Biography of the Author
Sir William Hope (c. 1660 – 1724) was a Scottish officer, master-at-arms and writer, regarded among the principal promoters of modern fencing in England. His works stand out for their clarity of exposition and his systematic approach, which combines practical experience with a solid theoretical framework. His editorial activity helped to spread fencing as a discipline not only military but also social and civil.

Printing history and circulation
The first edition, bearing the title The Scots Fencing-Master, appeared in Edinburgh in 1687. Subsequent editions followed in 1691, 1692, and 1697, which consolidated the work’s fortunes and its shift to the more international title The Compleat Fencing-Master. This 1710 edition, here described as the third but in fact the fifth, is not listed in the major repertories (not cited in the USTC), a fact that increases its rarity and bibliographic value. The circulation remained limited to an audience of military personnel, nobles, and gentlemen interested in the code of dueling.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
– Thimm, F. A Complete Bibliography of Fencing and Duelling, London, 1896.
Vigeant, C. Bibliography of fencing, Paris, 1882.
– Anglo, S. The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe, New Haven, 2000.
– Cohen, H. Swordsmen: The Martial Ethos in the Three Kingdoms, Oxford, 2010.